David Darcy, recently announced as a finalist in the most prestigious portraiture award in Australia, the Archibald Prize, opens his exhibition, 'Self Sabotage – Portraits by David Darcy' at the Tamworth Regional Gallery on Friday 8 May.
Showing until Sunday 21 June, 'Self Sabotage' marks the first solo exhibition for the Murrurundi-based artist, who has achieved great recognition for traditional portraiture in Australia. His repertoire includes winning the People's Choice Award at both the Archibald Prize (2019) and National Portrait Gallery (2020), being commissioned by Parliament House to paint the Honourable Bob Katter for the Historic Memorial Collection and most recently becoming a finalist in the 2026 Archibald Prize for his portrait of fellow artist Dale Frank titled 'To whom: let's be Frank, it's no walk in the park.'
Excitingly, Darcy's latest body of work 'Self Sabotage' is a reinvention of his usual practice, where traditional portraiture merges with abstraction – faces bloom from landscapes, fracture into myths and borrow masks from memory. Unlike his work before, these latest portraits fragment realism and embrace distortion colour, gesture and a little madness.
Darcy is unapologetically candid about his approach to this exhibition, saying "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. I can't change people's minds, I can only be true to myself. I know many people won't understand why I would sabotage my own practice, but I need to. I'm not seeking validation or approval, I'm pushing my own boundaries and preconceptions."
"Self Sabotage is my chance to let go, to feel the breeze in my hair, scream at the sky and throw paint at the wall. Like Luke Skywalker on his last run at the Death Star. I can't explain why, I just have to trust my gut."
Fellow Murrurundi artist and friend of Darcy, Jelle van den Berg was fortunate to view the works before they made their way to Tamworth, "Walking into this new exhibition one is struck by the diversity in the works."
"His interests have shifted dramatically, and his vulnerability shows in more ways than one. This search through experimentation is both brave and risky and he should be commended on his attitude and his openness."
Opening the same day the Archibald Prize winner will be announced in Sydney, 'Self Sabotage' continues the Gallery's reputation for bringing nationally recognised talent to the Tamworth region.
"We're thrilled to have David Darcy exhibit here at the Gallery. Connecting the Tamworth region with nationally renowned, award-winning artists is a key part of our purpose and we're proud to showcase exhibitions like Self Sabotage in a free Gallery space."
"The fact that David has placed as a finalist in the Archibald Prize is definitely a cherry on top."
The official exhibition launch and artist talk will be held on Sunday 17 May at 2pm where Darcy and special guest Jelle van den Berg will discuss the exhibition. The event is free and open to the public to attend.
For 'Self Sabotage' artwork sale information please contact the Tamworth Regional Gallery, 02 6767 5247 or Michael Reid Murrurundi, 02 6546 6767.
Also opening at the Gallery on 8 May is 'Exploration of Line', an exhibition that features local textile artists Sophie Honess, Sybil Orr and Tania Hartigan.
